It feels good to be planning on staying home for the next couple of months! I have lots to do around the house before Once comes, though these hot, muggy days are sapping my motivation. But I have been up to a few things:
- We harvested our first garden produce! Two pretty little tomatoes, with more to come soon. I'm so proud!
- Blake's semester started this week; it should be much easier than his summer courses, which is a relief. Rory unceremoniously broke my favorite sunglasses this week, and Blake recognized that I was mildly distraught. So, he took me on a surprise errand yesterday, which ended up being sunglasses shopping at Kohls. He even helped my indecisive self choose a pair; what can I say- he's a keeper!
- My least favorite part about coming home after a trip is the horrific idea that every room of the house if filled with evil hidden spiders that have been waiting for us to get home so they can come out and scare me.
- I made the mistake of checking out pinterest.com for the first time yesterday, then spent close to an hour completely entranced by its amazingness. Then I felt very inadequate in about every area of life since I am not crafty and do not provide adorable age-appropriate developmental activities for my daughter. And all the pictures of delicious looking food made me hungry.
- Teeny tiny ants like to congregate under Rory's highchair. They are disgusting, and I can't make them go away.
- I really want to go to the Faroe Islands.
Pretty exciting stuff, huh?
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
The Bowens Take on the East (of Washington, that is)
I know that everyone's family is unique, but I feel justified in saying that mine is particularly colorful. I could nonchalantly tell you that we had a family reunion in Eastern Washington, and you'd say, "That's nice." Or I could tell you a little bit more and your eyes would grow wide. I will spare you the details here. Let's just leave it at: we spent a lovely four days on the WA/ID boarder with my delightful grandparents, wonderful parents, dearest sister, cutest niecey, and various other relations. The scenery was spectacular and the pies plentiful. This is an annual gathering, but Blake and I were not able to attend the last few years. Thanks to his flight benefits, this time we could go! Newport, WA is an old French fur trapping town, and is a little frightening (read: hillbilly mecca). You have to cross into Idaho to get there, and if you squint, you can almost see British Colombia. It's pretty as a picture, so here are a few pictures to sum up our trip (with words too because I love words):
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| This has nothing to do with the trip, but I couldn't resist putting up a picture of my pear butter! |
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| We managed to get on all the flights we needed! We met Lindsay and Evie at the Spokane airport and drove hour to "the property" in Newport with them. We spent the rest of Sunday just relaxing (mostly on the front porch, where this picture was taken). |
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| Blake and his niecey! |
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| We went on an adventure to Boundary Dam with Linds and Ev. The girls have matching cars seats! They napped blissfully most of the way there. |
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| Boundary Dam is on the Pend Oreille River, on the border with Canada. It was so beautiful, even if I'm scared to death of dams. |
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| Blake and Rorykins relaxing on the river |
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| We stopped in a city called Metaline Falls because we wanted to see the waterfall. We were tersely informed that if you stand on a certain bridge, you can see where the falls used to be. Seems it's a soar subject around there. We didn't let the failed falls stop us from enjoying the pretty river! |
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| Aurora loved splashing in the water! She's also entirely fixated on bellybuttons, and she (notional baby that she is) chooses to reveal our navels at the most inopportune times, like at the airport. |
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| We saw a lot of wildlife on our trip, including a curious snake, a flock of wild turkeys, deer, an owl, and lots of other random fowl. We heard a pack of killer wolves at night from our tent too. Oh, and let's not forget the rare furry-faced biped seen here holding Rory! |
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| Rory was privileged to enjoy her meals between Grampie and Grammie on the couch. |
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| My dad and Evie (he's more comfortable as they get older!) |
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| Aurora was super excited to get her own play money during the annual family mystery auction! |
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| After a fierce bidding war, Grampie unwrapped his winnings to find this lovely pink scarf. I shouldn't have given up! |
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| Rory reading with her grandpa during the auction |
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| The "other baby:" Thomas, the blind cat, on Grammie's lap |
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| Grammie and Evelyn: we spend lots of time sitting around talking (mostly about food) |
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| Dad and Blake got up ridiculously early one morning to go fishing. Despite being assured they would probably catch nothing, they each came back with a big slimy trout. |
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| Rory and Evie both have bug outfits! |
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| My daughter was dismayed when she was forbidden to pinch her cousin's tempting little legs. |
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| I'm excited for them to be bridesmaids in each others' wedding! |
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| We put our tent in the orchard to thwart the killer wolves. |
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| Rory and her papa |
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| Despite being half-Washingtonian, my child hates grass |
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| "Get me off of it!" |
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| Rory's finally decided that moving around is beneficial. Now she's walking along furniture, climbing stairs, and pulling up on everything. Maybe she will be walking by 18 months! |
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| The girlies in their matching dresses |
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| Little cuties |
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| Evie found the photo shoot tiring, and Rory just wanted to pinch her. |
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| They both look like their papas: I guess those Thomas genes aren't that strong! |
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| We got halfway to town on Wednesday before Blake's coworker called and said he'd cover Blake's Thursday shift. So, we turned around and surprised everyone by coming back for one more day! We celebrated our five year dateversary by leaving babycakes with the family and driving to Sandpoint for a couple hours, where we went to the library (long story), drove across an exciting bridge, ate delicious cheese burgers, and walked along a marina. |
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| I wanted a picture of us, the cool drooping tree, and the marina. We were not entirely successful. |
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| A few leaves and a few boats- getting closer! |
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| Ahh! Two droopy branches and some water. Good enough! |
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| Bedhead |
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| Me and my niecey poo |
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| She will not eat pasta or chicken, but she loves salmon and egg rolls. Odd child. |
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| Such a big girl, in her very own seat on the plane! Unfortunately, she will not sleep at all while flying. She takes five second thumb-sucking recharges, then is right back at removing the magazines and safety cards from the seat pocket, studying them, and casting them aside. Something about the Skymall catalog made her chuckle every time she saw it. Surviving flights with her is a full time job for both parents, and is doomed to fail if there are not ample snacks. We may resort to benadryl next time... But all in all, she was such a sweet, charming little cutie pie who's growing up so fast! |
Friday, August 19, 2011
Pear Day
I love pears. Amazingly, so does Blake. So I jumped at the chance to split 20-some pounds of bartletts with a friend. Then I was left to wonder, what does one do with a dozen pounds of pears? Granted, we could eat them fresh, but we'll be going out of town soon and they'd be way too ripe when we return. This is how I handled the dilemma:
- pear pancakes: I like to make whole wheat pancakes for breakfast once a week or so, so I diced a couple pears and added them and some nutmeg to the batter.
- dehydrated pears: I dried about 20 of them in the dehydrator- they turned out terrific!
- pear butter: Once again, I overcame my fear of the canner and made four pints of delicious pear butter, much to my husband's delight. It's fabulous on toast, and I can't wait to try it on waffles sometime.
- pear pie: Probably Blake's favorite dessert that I make is pear pie, and since he got A's in both his summer classes, I made a pear pie to celebrate his successful return to school. It's sort of like apple pie, only better!
In other food news (not much else is going on here!), I made a great meal this week, and the best part was that every component began with a "k" sound (I love alliteration!): cantaloupe, quiche (bacon-green chili; my first attempt at a quiche), and curried corn (I sliced the kernels off an ear of fresh corn and sauteed them in a little butter, garlic, and curry). I was so pleased with myself.
Though I'm enjoying this nice monsoony summer, fall is starting to sound appealing: pumpkin and cider and chopping wood and lighting candles...we have such nice, crispy falls here, though I do miss the blustery autumns of Washington too. Fall was chillier and damper there; we'd get some terrific storms. This year I'm torn between wanting a lingering summer (mostly so I don't have to drag out my cold weather maternity clothes) and being anxious for the next season. I love how God designed it so that we start to look with anticipation towards what's coming, and somehow are ready for it, while still enjoying where we're at now.
- pear pancakes: I like to make whole wheat pancakes for breakfast once a week or so, so I diced a couple pears and added them and some nutmeg to the batter.
- dehydrated pears: I dried about 20 of them in the dehydrator- they turned out terrific!
- pear butter: Once again, I overcame my fear of the canner and made four pints of delicious pear butter, much to my husband's delight. It's fabulous on toast, and I can't wait to try it on waffles sometime.
- pear pie: Probably Blake's favorite dessert that I make is pear pie, and since he got A's in both his summer classes, I made a pear pie to celebrate his successful return to school. It's sort of like apple pie, only better!
In other food news (not much else is going on here!), I made a great meal this week, and the best part was that every component began with a "k" sound (I love alliteration!): cantaloupe, quiche (bacon-green chili; my first attempt at a quiche), and curried corn (I sliced the kernels off an ear of fresh corn and sauteed them in a little butter, garlic, and curry). I was so pleased with myself.
Though I'm enjoying this nice monsoony summer, fall is starting to sound appealing: pumpkin and cider and chopping wood and lighting candles...we have such nice, crispy falls here, though I do miss the blustery autumns of Washington too. Fall was chillier and damper there; we'd get some terrific storms. This year I'm torn between wanting a lingering summer (mostly so I don't have to drag out my cold weather maternity clothes) and being anxious for the next season. I love how God designed it so that we start to look with anticipation towards what's coming, and somehow are ready for it, while still enjoying where we're at now.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Russian Goodness
Yesterday was Blake's Saturday, and after a morning spent running around (including a lovely breakfast with friends), Blake and I spent the day at home. We ate homemade mac and cheese with preservative free hotdogs sliced into it, coffee-banana-chocolate milk shakes, and roasted broccoli, and we watched the non-musical version of Les Miserables, which was terrific.
Speaking of yesterday: I had to go to do my glucose test yesterday morning. When I got to the lab, I walked in and heard a man yelling it someone inside. It was only 7:30, and I saw a big guy in sweats standing in a doorway. He was hollering, "I wouldn't cuss you out if you'd let me see the kids every couple of weeks!" I was horrified- apparently this man had come to harass and threaten someone at her work! Not being sure what was correct protocol in such situations, I stepped out the door and returned to my vehicle (very noble of me, I know). I attempted to call Blake to find out what I should do, but he didn't answer his phone. After waiting ten or so minutes, watching for the man to emerge, I really needed to get that test done and get on with my day. I tentatively re-entered the lab, and found a delivery man jovially chatting with the little lab tech woman. Apparently, his "sweats" were a uniform, and rather than yelling at the lab tech, he was animatedly reenacting an earlier conversation. I felt rather silly, and was glad I hadn't attempted to intervene! Oh, and I don't have gestational diabetes.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Pool Cool
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| On the days her daddy has to work late, Rory plays in the pool with her Grandpa! |
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| She was a bit too enthusiastic with her smoothie |
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| Lately, peanut butter toast becomes warpaint |
The Highs and Lows of Spontaneity
One of the advantages of Blake's job with the airline is the theoretical ability to hop on a plane at any given moment to embark on adventures of all varieties. Of course, theoretically this sounds lovely, but the realities of a one year old and a limited income force many of our travel dreams into a perpetual state of potential.
Except for this time.
Monday- 10:45am- Brittany arrives home. Blake is scanning craigslist Phoenix for used Subarus. Both are overwhelmed by a sudden desire for adventure. Blake sees that there are two seats free on the 3pm flight to Phoenix. Brittany calls her sister in law and her grandfather, and waters the houseplants.
11:15am- Brittany is packing for herself and Rorykins, whom Blake is bathing to remove all offensive traces of peanut butter from breakfast. Blake makes a rental car reservation for the following morning. Brittany runs the dishwasher. Rory is put down for a nap.
12:00pm- Blake waters the garden and packs. Brittany fills a snack container with enough cheerios to keep the baby entertained on the airplane. She also flash freezes four pounds of fresh blueberries. Blake calls his uncle.
1:00pm- Blake makes calls to car dealers in Phoenix and selects one near the airport to visit. Brittany realizes that she has fed her family nothing except homemade doughnuts all day and throws together several sandwiches. Blake's parents agree to water the garden for a few days. Blake makes a hotel reservation in Palm Desert. Doors and windows are locked, Rory is in her carseat.
1:45pm- The Bowen family is in the Jeep, on the way to the Flag airport.
2:30pm- Brittany is entertaining Rory while Blake is working at getting them on the flight.
2:45pm- The ticket counter closes and the two seats are still available. Blake, Brittany, and Rory breeze through security proudly brandishing their boarding passes, and board the plane.
3:30pm- Blake decides that Rory has been too happy on the airplane, and proceeds to whack her head on the ceiling. Or maybe the plane lurched just as he was repositioning her on his lap. Either way, Rory is no longer too happy and is informing the world of her displeasure. Cheerios seem to appease her.
4:00pm- Blake's sister Bethany gamely picks them up at the airport on her day off. She drives them to a moderately sketchy car dealership nearby, where Blake proceeds to test drive an Impreza they had been eying on craigslist for a while. The car is not perfect, but the price makes it worth it. An offer is made, but the uninspired salesclerk is not interested, as someone else expressed an intent to finance the vehicle for the whole price. Blake and Brittany and Bethany and Baby leave without the car- good riddance.
5:00pm- with no other strong car leads, the group returns to a cousin's house where Bethany is dogsitting. Pizza is ordered and consumed, Blake's final homework assignment for the summer semester is completed and submitted, craigslist is perused, and the evening passes. The rental car is to be picked up in the morning unless a car is found and purchased. Dinner plans are made with Blake's uncle and grandpa for the following evening.
9:00pm- Blake and Brittany and Aurora go to bed. Rory sleeps admirably on a pile of cushions.
Tuesday 7:00am- Blake and Brittany start the day with craigslist and autotrader. No Subarus are found, but temptation lurks in the form of a Volvo cross country wagon just barely out of their price range. Though ardent Volvo lovers, the couple had decided a month ago that the risk of expensive Volvo repairs would make such a vehicle an imprudent purchase while Blake is in school. Still, they wavered, and even called the dealer. They deliberated over a cold-pizza breakfast. A last minute idea finds them placing a "wanted" add on the Palm Springs craigslist saying they'll be in town and would like to buy someone's Subaru (hopes are not high as no one drives Subarus in Palm Springs).
9:45am- Everyone is loaded into Bethany's car, and she waits patiently as Blake decides where they're going: the car dealer or rental car office. A phone call to his dad helps remind him why they had decided against a Volvo in the first place. With new resolve, it's off to the Hertz office to pick up the rental.
11:00am- They bid Bethany goodbye and head west. A coffee stop is made, and a phone call is received from a guy hoping to sell his black 5 speed Subaru Impreza. The seller lives five minutes from the restaurant they would be eating at that evening, and a meeting is set up.
2:00pm- The desert is beyond ugly and the thermometer reads 114 degrees. They plow on towards the hotel.
4:00pm- Blake and Brittany and Rory leave the hotel, headed for Riverside to meet up with family for dinner. They enjoy the time with Blake's Uncle Greg and Papa Kaye, whom they do not get to see often enough. Interesting parenting advice is freely given by Blake's grandpa's Filipino wife, who has no children. After dinner, the owner of the Impreza brings it by. Blake takes it for a drive and likes it. Brittany thinks the interior is gross, but the owner drops the price to allow for professional cleaning. Blake and Brittany express their desire to buy the car, and a meeting is set up for the next morning.
Wednesday 6:00am- Awake, showers, breakfast, and back on the road to Riverside. A new drop-off location for the rental car has been arranged, the withdrawal limit from the bank has been increased, and Blake and Brittany and Rory meet the car seller at a dealer to have it inspected before the purchase is complete.
10:00am- Blake informs Brittany that the inspection has revealed problems with the car, and they cannot buy it. Dejected, the family heads back to Palm Desert to meet Brittany's Granddad for lunch. They have a wonderful time with Granddad and enjoy seeing his new home in a swanky independent living community. Rory only has one minor breakdown, thanks in part to all the bread she ate during lunch. Plans are made to meet up again for dinner.
1:00pm- On a whim, Blake and Brittany decide to visit the Palm Springs Air Museum, which Blake had never been to (Brittany hadn't been since she was a child). The museum has an outstanding collection of World War II planes, which was exceedingly appealing to the WWII buff Bowens. Blake and Brittany love airplanes, and met at an airport (read their story if this is news to you). After admiring the huge models of the wartime ships (the aircraft carrier and submarine were particularly fascinating), they finish perusing the room devoted to the Pacific Theater before heading to the European Theater collection and the much anticipated tour of the B-17 "Flying Fortress" Bomber. Brittany is pleased that at seven months pregnant, she is still able to crawl through the airplane under the watchful eye of their elderly tour guide.
3:00pm- Armed with iced tea, the family returns to the hotel where Aurora blatantly refuses to nap. More internet searching turns up zero new Subaru options, and Blake is glumly resigned to the fact that they'd likely end their trip still car-less.
5:15pm- Blake and Brittany sit in the car with Rory and pray fervently that Rory will miraculously be kept from having a "legendary freakout" during dinner, despite her naplessness. They really, really do not want her to embarrass her Great Granddad in the fancy dining room by throwing a fit. Miraculously, she is an utter angel during dinner, and charms everybody she encounters. She eats nothing but bread (and pear tart), but she is a trooper. Blake and Brittany have a great visit with Granddad, and are relieved he was able to enjoy his great granddaughter.
7:00pm- Bedtime for Rory; Blake and Brittany watch an episode of one of Blake's favorite shows, Top Gear, before sleep.
Thursday 8:00am- a lazyish morning and leisurely breakfast cause the family to get a late start. They check out of the hotel after calling some dealers in town to make sure none had magically acquired a Subaru overnight. They are horrified to find a place (the hotel) that offers worse coffee than their church, so they stop at Starbucks once again. Other than heading east, they have no precise plan. They would like to look for cars again in Phoenix, but it seems there is nothing worth looking at. They deliberate between returning the rental car in Flagstaff, or just flying home from Phoenix.
1:00pm- After an unsatisfying fast food lunch, another craigslist search is done, to no success. They spend far too long dallying around Blythe before getting back on the road. They have a contest to see who can spot the most dust devils. Blake is confidant that he is victorious, but Brittany is skeptical. They finally reach Phoenix, and sadly only have half an hour to spend with Bethany before she needs to head out. One final search for a car in Phoenix leaves Blake dejected- the spontaneous, unplanned trip had been a success in that they had spent time with the grandfathers, but both had hoped it would include them finding a car as well. About to shut the computer down, in one final act of spontaneity, Brittany types their location and desired car into autotrader and one result comes up. It was a car they had not seen yet, a manual Outback in their price range. Blake agrees to call to see if the car is still available, and they are surprised to hear it is. After briefly considering it, Blake decides they could stop by and take a look, since they were leaving anyway.
5:30pm- They are surprised by how much they like the car. They decide it would be an excellent choice. They make an offer, and it is accepted. They go to the back, return with cash, sign a few papers, and drive off. Blake calls Hertz for the billionth time and finds a new location to return the rental.
7:30pm- Blake and Brittany leave the rental, get some dinner, and head towards Flagstaff in their new white Subie. The spontaneous trip to see family and buy a car has been a success on all accounts, and their faith in adventure has been restored.
Except for this time.
Monday- 10:45am- Brittany arrives home. Blake is scanning craigslist Phoenix for used Subarus. Both are overwhelmed by a sudden desire for adventure. Blake sees that there are two seats free on the 3pm flight to Phoenix. Brittany calls her sister in law and her grandfather, and waters the houseplants.
11:15am- Brittany is packing for herself and Rorykins, whom Blake is bathing to remove all offensive traces of peanut butter from breakfast. Blake makes a rental car reservation for the following morning. Brittany runs the dishwasher. Rory is put down for a nap.
12:00pm- Blake waters the garden and packs. Brittany fills a snack container with enough cheerios to keep the baby entertained on the airplane. She also flash freezes four pounds of fresh blueberries. Blake calls his uncle.
1:00pm- Blake makes calls to car dealers in Phoenix and selects one near the airport to visit. Brittany realizes that she has fed her family nothing except homemade doughnuts all day and throws together several sandwiches. Blake's parents agree to water the garden for a few days. Blake makes a hotel reservation in Palm Desert. Doors and windows are locked, Rory is in her carseat.
1:45pm- The Bowen family is in the Jeep, on the way to the Flag airport.
2:30pm- Brittany is entertaining Rory while Blake is working at getting them on the flight.
2:45pm- The ticket counter closes and the two seats are still available. Blake, Brittany, and Rory breeze through security proudly brandishing their boarding passes, and board the plane.
3:30pm- Blake decides that Rory has been too happy on the airplane, and proceeds to whack her head on the ceiling. Or maybe the plane lurched just as he was repositioning her on his lap. Either way, Rory is no longer too happy and is informing the world of her displeasure. Cheerios seem to appease her.
4:00pm- Blake's sister Bethany gamely picks them up at the airport on her day off. She drives them to a moderately sketchy car dealership nearby, where Blake proceeds to test drive an Impreza they had been eying on craigslist for a while. The car is not perfect, but the price makes it worth it. An offer is made, but the uninspired salesclerk is not interested, as someone else expressed an intent to finance the vehicle for the whole price. Blake and Brittany and Bethany and Baby leave without the car- good riddance.
5:00pm- with no other strong car leads, the group returns to a cousin's house where Bethany is dogsitting. Pizza is ordered and consumed, Blake's final homework assignment for the summer semester is completed and submitted, craigslist is perused, and the evening passes. The rental car is to be picked up in the morning unless a car is found and purchased. Dinner plans are made with Blake's uncle and grandpa for the following evening.
9:00pm- Blake and Brittany and Aurora go to bed. Rory sleeps admirably on a pile of cushions.
Tuesday 7:00am- Blake and Brittany start the day with craigslist and autotrader. No Subarus are found, but temptation lurks in the form of a Volvo cross country wagon just barely out of their price range. Though ardent Volvo lovers, the couple had decided a month ago that the risk of expensive Volvo repairs would make such a vehicle an imprudent purchase while Blake is in school. Still, they wavered, and even called the dealer. They deliberated over a cold-pizza breakfast. A last minute idea finds them placing a "wanted" add on the Palm Springs craigslist saying they'll be in town and would like to buy someone's Subaru (hopes are not high as no one drives Subarus in Palm Springs).
9:45am- Everyone is loaded into Bethany's car, and she waits patiently as Blake decides where they're going: the car dealer or rental car office. A phone call to his dad helps remind him why they had decided against a Volvo in the first place. With new resolve, it's off to the Hertz office to pick up the rental.
11:00am- They bid Bethany goodbye and head west. A coffee stop is made, and a phone call is received from a guy hoping to sell his black 5 speed Subaru Impreza. The seller lives five minutes from the restaurant they would be eating at that evening, and a meeting is set up.
2:00pm- The desert is beyond ugly and the thermometer reads 114 degrees. They plow on towards the hotel.
4:00pm- Blake and Brittany and Rory leave the hotel, headed for Riverside to meet up with family for dinner. They enjoy the time with Blake's Uncle Greg and Papa Kaye, whom they do not get to see often enough. Interesting parenting advice is freely given by Blake's grandpa's Filipino wife, who has no children. After dinner, the owner of the Impreza brings it by. Blake takes it for a drive and likes it. Brittany thinks the interior is gross, but the owner drops the price to allow for professional cleaning. Blake and Brittany express their desire to buy the car, and a meeting is set up for the next morning.
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| Rory and Papa Kaye |
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| Blake, his grandpa, and his baby girl |
Wednesday 6:00am- Awake, showers, breakfast, and back on the road to Riverside. A new drop-off location for the rental car has been arranged, the withdrawal limit from the bank has been increased, and Blake and Brittany and Rory meet the car seller at a dealer to have it inspected before the purchase is complete.
10:00am- Blake informs Brittany that the inspection has revealed problems with the car, and they cannot buy it. Dejected, the family heads back to Palm Desert to meet Brittany's Granddad for lunch. They have a wonderful time with Granddad and enjoy seeing his new home in a swanky independent living community. Rory only has one minor breakdown, thanks in part to all the bread she ate during lunch. Plans are made to meet up again for dinner.
1:00pm- On a whim, Blake and Brittany decide to visit the Palm Springs Air Museum, which Blake had never been to (Brittany hadn't been since she was a child). The museum has an outstanding collection of World War II planes, which was exceedingly appealing to the WWII buff Bowens. Blake and Brittany love airplanes, and met at an airport (read their story if this is news to you). After admiring the huge models of the wartime ships (the aircraft carrier and submarine were particularly fascinating), they finish perusing the room devoted to the Pacific Theater before heading to the European Theater collection and the much anticipated tour of the B-17 "Flying Fortress" Bomber. Brittany is pleased that at seven months pregnant, she is still able to crawl through the airplane under the watchful eye of their elderly tour guide.
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| Rory attempting to escape amongst the airplanes |
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| Blake and Rory and the maritime models! |
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| Blake checking out the troop transport plane |
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| Rory was not overly impressed by the awesome assortment of airplanes |
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| A cute little flight simulator used to train pilots during the war |
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| We love airplanes! |
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| Blake and Aurora next to our next family vehicle! |
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| The B-17 bomber "Flying Fortress" we got to tour!!! |
3:00pm- Armed with iced tea, the family returns to the hotel where Aurora blatantly refuses to nap. More internet searching turns up zero new Subaru options, and Blake is glumly resigned to the fact that they'd likely end their trip still car-less.
5:15pm- Blake and Brittany sit in the car with Rory and pray fervently that Rory will miraculously be kept from having a "legendary freakout" during dinner, despite her naplessness. They really, really do not want her to embarrass her Great Granddad in the fancy dining room by throwing a fit. Miraculously, she is an utter angel during dinner, and charms everybody she encounters. She eats nothing but bread (and pear tart), but she is a trooper. Blake and Brittany have a great visit with Granddad, and are relieved he was able to enjoy his great granddaughter.
7:00pm- Bedtime for Rory; Blake and Brittany watch an episode of one of Blake's favorite shows, Top Gear, before sleep.
Thursday 8:00am- a lazyish morning and leisurely breakfast cause the family to get a late start. They check out of the hotel after calling some dealers in town to make sure none had magically acquired a Subaru overnight. They are horrified to find a place (the hotel) that offers worse coffee than their church, so they stop at Starbucks once again. Other than heading east, they have no precise plan. They would like to look for cars again in Phoenix, but it seems there is nothing worth looking at. They deliberate between returning the rental car in Flagstaff, or just flying home from Phoenix.
1:00pm- After an unsatisfying fast food lunch, another craigslist search is done, to no success. They spend far too long dallying around Blythe before getting back on the road. They have a contest to see who can spot the most dust devils. Blake is confidant that he is victorious, but Brittany is skeptical. They finally reach Phoenix, and sadly only have half an hour to spend with Bethany before she needs to head out. One final search for a car in Phoenix leaves Blake dejected- the spontaneous, unplanned trip had been a success in that they had spent time with the grandfathers, but both had hoped it would include them finding a car as well. About to shut the computer down, in one final act of spontaneity, Brittany types their location and desired car into autotrader and one result comes up. It was a car they had not seen yet, a manual Outback in their price range. Blake agrees to call to see if the car is still available, and they are surprised to hear it is. After briefly considering it, Blake decides they could stop by and take a look, since they were leaving anyway.
5:30pm- They are surprised by how much they like the car. They decide it would be an excellent choice. They make an offer, and it is accepted. They go to the back, return with cash, sign a few papers, and drive off. Blake calls Hertz for the billionth time and finds a new location to return the rental.
7:30pm- Blake and Brittany leave the rental, get some dinner, and head towards Flagstaff in their new white Subie. The spontaneous trip to see family and buy a car has been a success on all accounts, and their faith in adventure has been restored.
Our impromptu trip could not have been made possible without the affable help of my sister in law, Bethany, the willing availability of our grandfathers and Uncle Greg, and the go-with-the-flow attitude of our baby girl. At times we bemoaned our lack of planning (you mean it will cost $100 more if we change the rental car reservation?!), and each of us suffered brief periods of discouragement, but all in all, we had an outstanding time and enjoyed the challenge of starting each day with little or no plan. We took turns encouraging each other and had lots of fun. Now we're eagerly awaiting the next adventure!
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